Free as A Bird
by MoonlightLegends
Summary: Ninja teams are usually teams of three, right? But, when an extra student is placed into the new Genin teams, Team 7 meets a rather sad and ignored girl named Miyoko Shimakage- me of course. When Naruto bonds with me, I decide to trust him with my story of being cursed with a constant chakra flow to my right hand. And of course, being a taboo child. (4 Man Squad AU) *HIATUS*
1. Ch 1: A Past I Can't Forget

**Chapter One**

**A Past I Can't Forget**

**Miyoko's POV**

My childhood and past are one of the many things I prefer not to talk about.

They're all traumatising and fear inducing things no child should go through.

Much like Sasuke watched his clan die, I watched my life and heart die.

It all began on the day my father shouted at my mother...

**...**

I curled up in my lackluster room, hiding my tear stained face in my legs. My strands of chocolate brown hair fanned out against the flouccent sheets of my bed, my emerald green eyes puffy and red of tears.

"She's a taboo, Makoto!" My father-Atasuke Shimakage- shouted angrily outside my closed door.

"But we can't keep treating a child like this, Atasuke!" My mother, known as Makoto Shimakage, pleaded for my innocence.

"We go by our family's rules." He sighed. "The first child being born as a girl means she will develop the family curse, Mako."

"But..." My mother choked. "Miyo doesn't deserve this..."

Their conversation was cut short by her sobs and tears, my own cheeks damp from tears that belonged to myself as well. We sobbed together, though we were sperate in presence. My mother always saw me as innocent and just a child who needed love and compassion. I loved her for that and she loved me too, though father saw me as nothing but a disgrace.

"Mako, I'm sorry." My father sounded very strong and without hesitation he said, "But there's nothing we can do to help her..."

"Why can't she just be free?" My mother desperately begged my father for an answer. "Free of her living curse?! Why must she be a taboo child?! Why?! Why..."

The sound of my mother's endless sobs still play in my head sometimes when I sit under a tree while all the kids ignore me.

"Makoto..." My father sounded like he was going to choke up now, but he held it strong. "One day, she'll be free as a bird..."

…

It was the summer of my 6th year when I sat in the shade of a tall oak tree, my eyes of jade and sadness staring at the blades of grass swaying the soft breeze.

I was dressed how I always had: the upper half of an azure blue qipao shirt with an ebony zipper, a black knee-length skirt and charcoal sandals.

"Hey isn't that Miyoko Shimakage?" A small boy with brown hair asked one of his blonde friends.

"Yeah, it is..." His expression darkened. "But I heard she's a taboo and is cursed for being a first born girl."

They quickly evaded my gaze, ignoring my loneliness and desire for a social group. They didn't seem to notice the permanent stain of tear streams on my cheeks and the red around my eyes. I

My eyes noticed a boy close by.

He had short and spiky blonde hair, eyes of a piercing light blue and he wore a beige t-shirt and green shorts.

I recongized this boy as Naruto Uzumaki, the boy my father told me not to speak with even in the most dreadful situtations for reasons I was never made aware of.

But, today he seemed so appealing sitting with a lowered head on the old wooden swing. He appeared to be crying- even though he wasn't usually wasn't crying like I found myself consantly doing- his lips turned downwards in sadness.

He glanced at me, his eyes sad and lonely like my own. But, Naruto seemed to much more lonely then myself. I had my mother as my only friend but Naruto; he had no one, not even caring parents anymore.

_Does Naruto understand what I feel...? _I wondered, breeze whisking my lowered locks of brown upwards and covering half my face.

Naruto started to chuckle a little at my appearance. And even though I was embaressed- I joined in on the laughing fest.

Laughing felt nice, the joyful sound playing in the air gracefully. My laugh was sweeter then I could remember, which made sense considering I hadn't giggled or stopped crying in my entire life.

I pondered speakig with Naruto.

But, then I recalled my father's words of not talking to the blonde.

Should I?

Should I break my father's rules and cheer up this sad boy or watch him cry and let him wallow in his own pools of long forgotten tears?

I made my choice of listening to my father. But only because I knew if I spoke to Naruto, my father would despise me more then he already did- which said a lot honestly.

I turned my back to him, crying once more from the sheer feeling of being alone. My heart begging for friends and company, I let out quite and short sobs.

I had family that didn't care for me all but the exception of my mother, and the only friend I knew of was myself and a rock I drew a happy face on with hair made of straw glued to the top.

That day I simply adore.

The day when I turned my back to Naurto Uzumaki and stuck my nose in the air arrogantly, was the day I realized how wrong my choice had been.

The day when I would desire to laugh with him together as friends and hang out as companions..

But besides all that, there was the _real_ reason:

That day... Naruto had laughed for the first time in three years.

,,,

**Short chapter to my new and improved Miyoko! How do ya like her?**

**Leave a review and tell me suggestions fro her character and see if I'll actually read them or respond.**

**Read it. Love it. Review it.**

**~SSTBS**


	2. Ch 2: Breaking Out

**Hey guys~! I got people liking the new Miyoko and hoping for more updates.**

**Sorry if I don't update this one really quickly, I have like four other things I'm working on at the moment.**

**Read it. Love it. Review it. **

**~SSTBS**

…

**Chapter Two**

**Breaking Out**

**Miyoko's POV**

I entered the class room, my locks of chocolate brown pulled up into a ponytail, leaving only two strands hanging in front of my ears.

My Konoha forehead protector was tied around my head, the metal plate pushed against my forehead and held up by a cobalt piece of fabric.

People stared, as they always did, as I took my seat.

That day I wore my azure blue qipao top with the black zipper, my charcoal apron skirt split at the sides as it went just to my knees, my same blue leggings and brunet ninja boots.

"I got here first, Ino pig!" A familiar female's voice struck my ears in a fit of anger.

"Have you always been so delusional, forehead?"

I raised an eyebrow, my emerald eyes questioning the two girls I had just noticed.

One had long, sakura blossom pink hair, her headband tied acorss the top of her head like a ribbon, her eyes a much lighter shade of green from my own. She wore a long red qiqao dress lined with white and a little white circle on the back, short green capris and everyone's normal blue ninja boots.

The other had long blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail, her eyes a nice shade of cyan and pupiless. She wore a purple vest like top, a purple apron skirt like my own but shorter, white bandages around her torso and thighs and two arm cuffs with purple straps.

I recongized these two girls as Sakura Haurno- the top academic kunoichi in the academy- and Ino Yamanaka... well, she owned a flower shop.

I was suddenly distracted by chatter close by to me.

"Who do you think'll be on your team?" A random student whispered in the row ahead of me.

"I don't know but..." He leaned closer to the other ninja. "I just hope it's not Miyoko Shimakage."

My insides lurched and my heart impolded, though my outer expression remained monotonous.

"Miyoko Shima-what?"

"She's the cursed child of her clan." He began. "In the Shimakage clan, the first born is claimed to have to be male due to their old-style system." My eyes stung but I held back the saltly droplettes, wondering if they realized I was staring at them emotionlessly. "Miyoko is the only female first born and apparently she brings back luck everywhere."

_At least he doesn't know about my real curse... _I thought, continuing to stare until one of them noticed and gulped his heart back into his chest.

"N-Norio..." He managed to say as my eyes blinked with out expression.

"What is i-" The boy named Norio turned around and I could havae sworn his heart stopped. "Oh..."

With that, I stood up, moving across the room to sit in a different row.

I looked down at my left hand, a black leather glove over it.

I wore this glove for a reason I couldn't quite understand- a curse placed on my family by a Buddist Monk.

My great grandfather, Satoru Shimakage, had lost his way in the desert and become desperate for survival.

Soon, a man in a cloak appeared and granted him a drink of water and a return home in an exchange for a curse he must bare along with his decendents.

If any first born after his was born a woman, that child shall be cursed with a constant chakra flow to the left hand.

Of course, to most this sounded like a great battle method, but when you have like myself- it's just a living nightmare playing in front of you everyday.

That's why I wore this glove; it's been designed to hold back my curse and helped me to control it at will.

"Hey Sasuke," A voice caught my attention again, snapping my attention away from my gloved hand. "Mind if I sit here?"

It was Sakura, speaking with the boy a space apart from me.

The boy had short, ebony hair that poked out the back above his ears, like his hair was a sitting duck, eyes of pure onyx and he wore a loose, high-neck t-shirt with the Uchihaclan symbol on the back, white shorts and black ninja boots.

This boy was Sasuke Uchiha, the final survivor of the Uchiha massacre many years ago.

I personally didn't find the boy so attractive like the other girls, or maybe it was just my mind was too focused on proving myself to my family to notice his features.

But, even if I did notice them, they weren't as great as the other girls made them out to be.

Sasuke looked past me at Sakura, his face emotionless.

Ino suddenly grabbed her upper arm, shoving her out the way, makign me notice Naruto Uzumaki on the floor as well.

"Back off forehead! I'm sitting next to Sasuke!" She demanded, Sakura's glare ice cold.

I stared blinking in confusion, the normal sadness in my eyes pushed back and replaced with a lost feeling.

"Well, I got here first." She growled.

"No way, I totally stepped in first!"

"Actually, I was here before all of you so, _I'm_ sitting with Sasuke." A random girl walked down, placing her hand on her hip.

The girls continued to agrue, makign me lose myself in the angry shouts and complaints.

Sasuke just turned back his head and looked at the empty desk space in front of him.

…

**Kakashi's POV**

"Most promising student of out of all the graduating students, Sasuke Uchiha..." I said to myself, though it was loud enough for the rest of the senseis to hear. "Is that him?"

"Yes, he is the one." The Third Hokage repiled, his hands on the desk respectivly as we all gazed into his crystal ball that examined the academy classroom.

"He's the only survivor left from the Uchiha clan." Kurenai brought out more information, her eyes pinned to the crystal.

"That's right."

"Hn..." I mumured to myself, this time quiet enough just for my hearing range.

The crystal moved over to the aruging crowd of girls, my eye notcing a certain girl sitting on the edge of "the Sasuke Desk".

"Miyoko Shimakage, cursed first born of her own clan, correct, Hokage?" I glanced at him, gettign a solem nod in response.

"She's had it hard over the years, being ignored by her family and rejected as member of a social group..." Kurenai commented, her eyes full of sympathy.

Then I saw a spiky haired boy slumped against the side of a desk, an angry look plastered over his face.

"Naruto Uzumaki, huh...?"

…

**Naruto's POV**

Anger sprouted over my facial mucsles, forming a scowl.

I squatted onto the desk in front of Sasuke, making him look up at me, our eyes locking instantly in a killer glare.

He just sighed in his throat, his lip turned downward out of annoyance as my scowl grew.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted me, her face rageful. "Stop glaring at Sasuke!"

_S-Sakura? _My thoughts stammered, my face dropping in slight sadness but then full on angry again as I turned back to Sasuke. _What's their deal with him? Sasuke! Sasuke! I swear the only one who's not in love with him is that Miyoko girl!_

I looked over out the corner of my eye, noticing said girl staring in confusion.

_Whoa, she sure is pretty... almost as pretty as Sakura, but not quite. Come to think of it, she looks familiar somehow._

Throwing off the though, I returned my glance at Sasuke, electricy sparking out of anger between our eyes.

The girls around me shouted at me to stop but I wouldn't.

Then an elbow hit me into the ankle and I toppled forward.

…

**Miyoko's POV**

My jaw dropped at the sight, every girl in the room silenced at the sight,

Naruto and Sasuke had been knocked into a _kiss_.

"I-I..." I stammered, my eye twitching as they smooched and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. "What?"

For once in my life, I felt like I could laugh or maybe even smile. But, my lips refused and the confusion faded back into sadness as their lips parted.

"Ew!" Naruto gagged, holding his throat, along with Sasuke.

"You loser...!"

The boy who had knocked them into each other, leaned backwards.

"They're vicous!"

I glanced at the girls, rage rising in the room like a thermometer.

"Uh no." Naruto sweatdropped, his face flinching just from their dagger like glares.

"NARUTO!"

…

**Kakashi's POV**

"Of course," The Third sighed as we watched ten girls beat Naruto up for kissing Sasuke. "Naruto seems to be caught in the middle of some sort of trouble."

I myself sighed inwardly, wondering how imposible it would be to make this boy into a shinobi.

…

**Sakura's POV**

Iruka-sensei stood at the front of the room, my heart racing in excietment.

"As of today you are all ninjas." He began, a grin on my lips as I sat between Sasuke, Naruto and a girl people called Miyoko. "You've faced difficult trails and hardships to get here. But that's only the beginning, you are all Genin." He did a gesture out to us. "First level ninjas. All the Genin will be parted into four man squads. Each squad will be lead by a Jounin, an elite ninja."

Shock filed the room silently, my eyes widening in surprise.

_A four man squad? _I wondered, insantly feeling Ino's eyes piercing the back of my neck.

"Well someone's gotta be in Sasuke's group, I wonder who." She smirked, letting me shoot a glare before I repiled.

"I don't know." Were my words, my inner self raging at her and telling her that I would be in his squad.

"We made each squad out of strength in abity levels, maming them equal and balanced out." He held the paper up to his face. "I will now enounce the squads."

Iruka-sensei went through the list, getting to number seven quicker then I expected.

"Squad seven," He began, my face hopeful. "Naruto Uzumaki," The boy next to me grinned. "Sakura Haurno," My heart dropped as Naurot cheered. "Miyoko Shimakage," The girl next to Naruto glanced up, her eyes so sad and bitter I could have sworn she was dark chocolate. "And Sasuke Uchiha."

I leaped into the air, Naruto's head dropping in shame.

As Iruka enounced squad eight, I held a piece sign up to Ino to shame her.

She glared and ranted.

"How did you get in his group?!" She demanded while I grinned.

"_Cha-cing! True love conquers all!" _Inner Sakura cheered, a broad smile across her inner face.

Ino growled.

"I don't get it," Shikamaru began beside her. "What'd you see in a guy like him? He's not so special."

Ino sighed, an angry stare on her face.

"You are so beyond clueless Shikamaru," Her fists clenched. "Don't you get it?"

"No I don't get. Cuz' I'm not a girl."

Ino turned back into her seat, a grin on her lips.

"You are so full of yourself," I stared at them, still smirking at my victory. "Jealous is a terrible thing, I'd hate to be on your squad."

"Squad Ten," Iruka made all three of us turn back to hear this team's members. "Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara," Ino fel onto her desk, slamming her face into it.

"Did you say something about hating to be on my squad?" Shikamaru taunted while Ino growled again, letting me watch in joy.

"Yukki Mizumaki," That Miyoko girl blushed, the bitterness in her eyes fading momentarily. This reaction made me raise an eyebrow and look arund the room to idenify this boy but I couldn't spot him. "And Choji Akimichi." Ino grabbed her head in frustration, thinking something I didn't know but could have guessed about four things at. "Those are all the squads." Iruka finished, Naurto rising from his seat in protest next to me.

"Iruka-sensei," He started, my face heating uo with anger. "Why does a genius ninja like myself have to be stuck with a slug like Sasuke!" Miyoko's sadness faded for a second again, replaced by shock, only to disappear again.

_This girl had some bi-polar issuses... _I thought, my face still angry at Naurto's protest.

Iruka-sensei's face looked shock but he answered quickly.

"Sasuke had the best scores in the academy," He leaned forward, "Naruto, you had the worst." The class laughed. "For balanced purposes, we placed the best student with the worst student."

I grinned as Sasuke spoke, Miyoko taking notice and raising an eyebrow.

"Just try not to get in my way... loser." He muttered, Miyoko looking shocked yet her sad essence remained somehow.

Naruto growled, clenching his fist and glaring at my true love.

"What'd you say?!" He demanded.

"Are you hard of hearing?" Sasuke said, his voice monotonous.

"Knock it off, Naruto!" I shouted, grabbing the boy by the arm and trying to pull him down in his seat.

"But-"

One of Miyoko's hands, one with a leather glove on it, clamped onto his shoulder and slammed him back down in his seat.

"No objections, Naruto." Her voice was simply angelic, the words like slik off a spindle.

Naruto pouted, slumping in his seat as everyone whispered around us and laughed.

Iruka-sensei coughed, catching our attention, Miyoko glancing upwards.

"After lunch, you'll meet your new Jounin teachers." He began, "Until then class dismissed.

…

**There an update for next lil' bit~!**

**Read it. Love it. Review it.**

**~SSTBS**


	3. Ch 3: The Soaring of My Spirit

**Chapter Three**

**The Soaring of My Spirit**

**Miyoko's POV**

I stared down at my lunch- sushi and a few riceballs. I had my chopsticks in my hands but I didn't try to eat.

I glanced down at my lanky body structure, noticing how malnourished I appeared. I sighed in response to it, knowing I show probably eat it.

"It's for the best, I guess..." I murmured, plucking up my first piece of sushi.

I looked around at my surroundings.

I had decided to sit in a tree, hiding from my teammates in case of them tried to eat with me or speak with me. I had already scolded Naruto in class by slamming him into his seat- which got me a lot of stares of disbelief- but it felt weird speaking for once instead of being totally mute like I always stayed for years.

As I finished my sushi, I saw a couple of students pass by me, not noticing me in the shadows of the tree's branches.

"So alone..." I began, "So alone I will stay, my heart falling so far astray..." I said quietly.

I had come up with the poem after my mother and father's fight on that night- I called it _Free as A Bird_.

"With a story and vision so blurred, who knows if I'll ever really be free as a bird..." I recited, closing my eyes and leaning my head against the tree trunk behind me. "So lonely and afraid of the world as I go unheard, who knows if I'll ever really be free as a bird..."

…

**Naruto's POV**

I ran towards Sakura, watching her call out Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" She shouted, "Where are you?"

I honestly didn't want her to eat lunch with anybody but myself- was that selfish?

Maybe, but I can't help it if she's just so pretty and cute... wait, do those words mean the same thing?

"Hey Sakura!" I called out as I jogged up behind her. "Wanna have lunch together? Ya know, get to know each other since we'll be on the same team and all."

She turned to me and scowled.

"Why would I eat lunch with you? How could that thought even cross your mind?" My heart dropped.

"Well, we're on the same team so I thought..."

"Naruto," She glared in the slightest, "you're annoying."

There was a prolonged silence between us before she turned away to continue walking.

"Sasuke!" She called out, "Where are you?"

"But I..." I reached out for her but pulled it back within seconds.

She really didn't like me all that much, huh?

Then a thought struck me.

"I can eat with Miyoko!" I proclaimed, remembering I had another teammate.

…

**Miyoko's POV**

I had finished my lunch all but two riceballs.

My orbs of viridian stared up at the sky, sad and lost with everything. I had never payed much attention to anything, never realizing how sad and desperate my eyes looked or the almost permanent tears stains that adorned my cheeks half the time or, as I mentioned before, how malnourished my character was.

Pastel and pale skin, locks of curly and messy chocolate brown in a ponytail with two strands hanging over my ears and an odd mix of dark and bright coloured clothing; I looked like a confused teenage girl.

"Miyoko!" A chipper and hyper voice shouted from somewhere, making me look around quickly as I swiftly placed my riceballs in my lunchbox and tied it up. "Where are you, Miyoko?"

_Naruto...? _I wondered, getting onto one knee and searching for the young boy with my eyes.

"Miyoko!" He yelled again, sounding closer.

I stepped into the shadows, still seeking out his whereabouts.

He suddenly stepped out onto the walkway beside the tree I had sat in.

"Naruto." I said, stepping out of the shadows and lowering myself onto one knee expeditiously.

His orbs of piercing azure blue snapped over me, suddenly happy and a whole lot less lonely.

"Miyoko!" He shouted, leaping into the tree in front of me. "Wanna eat together?"

I recalled trying to avoid my teammates until I couldn't, but he looked so... hopeful.

"Um..." My voice was gentle and frail as ever. "Sure."

Naruto grinned at me, as if expecting me to do the same in return. But, I remained somber and dismal, unable to even force a smile upon my lips.

_I'm sorry... _I thought as he settled down in front of me. _Naruto._

…

**Naruto's POV**

I had to admit, I was curious about Miyoko.

She was so mysterious and always looked so sad and bitter- kinda like Sasuke but not as bad... or as much of a jerk.

To describe her, I would say... pastel or pale skin, her curled and almost chaotic hair pulled up in a ponytail, leaving only two strands to hang over her ears and her dark and bright coloured clothing clashed with each other in sort of a good way I guess.

But, the thing that caught my attention the most were her cheeks- they had two streaks of translucent liquid- almost like tears- stained to them.

"Hey, uh, Miyoko," She looked at me as I finished my lunch.

"Hm?" She asked, her words burning with realitive sorrow.

"What's your life like?"

…

**Miyoko's POV**

I flinched.

"My..." I began, holding back the tears. "life?"

"Yeah." He was so oblivious. "I just thought maybe it wasn't so great for you to hold it all in."

I looked up, the tears still not forming.

"Wha-what?"

"It's a little..." He pointed at the tear stains on my face. "obvious you're hiding something."

I didn't know if I should tell him or not, my sense tingling with confusion.

He was nice enough, right? He wouldn't judge me, right? He could keep it a secret, right...?

"Only if," I began, looking at him dangerously. "you promise to keep it a secret that I told anything at all."

"Right!" He nodded, seeming … serious?

Going by what people usually said about Naruto, I found it surprising he had a serious face.

"Well..." I explained everything from my great grandfather's curse to my birth and existance being tabboo and cursed.

Naruto was shocked; his face wide eyed, his jaw hanging open like it weighed more then he did, his eyes so unsure of how to respond.

"Miyoko..." He muttered, staring at me in disbelief. "I'm sorry I asked you..."

"Naruto," I started again, my eyes losing a tiny bit of bitterness just for him. "it's alright; it felt good to pour it out and get off my chest, I guess." I finally let go of my sorrow, a gentle and true smile cross my pink lips. "Thanks for listening to me."

Naruto lost some of his shock, noticing how unforced smile.

"Whoa." He grinned friendly, "You really need to wear that smile more often, Miyo!" I inwardly gasped at my nickname. "It looks great on ya."

My face softened.

"Don't get used to it." I laughed.

I laughed?

It felt good to laugh since I never had before.

Naruto made me laugh- he was really good kid huh?

…


	4. Ch 4: My Thoughts Continue

**Chapter Four**

**My Thoughts Continue**

**Miyoko's POV**

I watched as Naruto ran off after eating one of my riceballs, saying something about needing to prove himself against Sasuke.

I blinked, my normal sadness suddenly gone for the time; that is being thanks to Naruto's quick and loose grin that he had just shown me.

_What a nice kid... _I thought, sighing. _Maybe I'll fit in with my teammates more then I thought..._

…

When Naruto finally disappeared, I started to wonder about my other two teammates; Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha.

Sakura seemed completely smitten with Sasuke; with her googly eyes to her drooling there was no doubt in my heart she really liked the guy. But, her love was so dumb, it was all over his looks. I mean, Sasuke didn't even seem all that attractive to me- which led to me to being even more left out-, he kind of just seemed a little narcissistic to me honestly.

Now, Sasuke seems very... vengeful shall I dare say?

I knew everything about his family and what had happened to it, but he just seemed a little more mad then upset. I would have just given up if I slipped into his shoes.

But... I myself had already given up.

I stopped trying to prove to my father and family I wasn't just our clan's tabboo and curse child- I was capable of being a ninja. I stopped trying to use my chakra curse to my advantage and in battle and I stopped trying to fit in.

Every other ninja thought I would hurt them, get mad or shout at them if they ever spoke to me.

That's why those students in the classroom before got quiet when they saw me staring.

I said those words to myself again:

"So alone, so alone I will stay, my heart falling so far astray. With a story and vision so blurred, who knows if I'll ever really be as free as a bird..." The words hurt but I finished as the morning fell to afternoon. "So lonely and afraid of the world as I go unheard, who knows if I'll ever really be free as a bird..."

With that, the words faded into the azure skyline.

…

**A short chapter about Miyo's thoughts... sorry for the filler.**

**Read it. Love it. Review it.**

**~SSTBS**


End file.
